The invention is related to a vessel useful for treating an article with a chemical, a gel, liquid, spray or wash.
In the field of dentistry, crowns or other restorations for repairing teeth must be precisely fabricated to match the contours of the defective tooth in order to restore proper shape, function and esthetics. In this regard, precise measuring of the tooth is undertaken by the dentist.
Restorations are fabricated of gold or other metal alloys, porcelain and composite resins. The invention is to be used in the preparation of porcelain restorations.
Porcelain restorations are currently fabricated in two ways. One method involves making an impression of the prepared tooth with impression material, then fabricating a refractory die. The die is utilized by a dental laboratory technician to fabricate the porcelain restoration. Porcelain powder is sculpted into the proper shape by the technician and then fired in a porcelain oven to create a solid porcelain mass.
The second method of fabrication utilizes computer-aided design and computer aided machining (CAD/CAM) of the dental restoration. In this method either a refractory die of the tooth or the tooth itself is scanned and digitized, the restoration is designed and milled out of a solid block of porcelain. This method can be used in a dental laboratory or in the dental office.
Before a porcelain restoration can be placed in a patient""s mouth, the surface of the restoration must be prepared for bonding to the tooth structure. The porcelain which is to be bonded to tooth structure is first etched with a hydrofluoric acid gel, then rinsed with water, dried and then treated with Silane. Etching leaves a roughened surface on the porcelain, the Silane provides a chemical tag to which the composite bonding cement can bind. In general, if a laboratory fabricates the restoration, these steps are completed at the lab. Anytime a porcelain restoration returned from the lab needs to be adjusted in the dentist""s office for a nonconforming fit, the newly exposed areas of porcelain must be re-etched with the acid gel and thereafter rinsed.
Currently, only one CAD/CAM system is available for dental office use. This system, manufactured by Sirona, is called Cerec. Using a Cerec the dentist is able to prepare the tooth, manufacture a porcelain dental restoration and cement it into the patient""s mouth all in one visit. With this system the etching and silanation are always done in the dental office.
A prior technique to etch the milled restoration involved placing the crown on a gauze pad and applying the etching gel and rinsing. This technique proved to be awkward and prone to undesired over-spraying from the precise work area. Suctioning off of the liquid has the potential of losing the restoration into the suction line.
The present inventor has recognized the need for an easily usable, handheld etching and rinsing device useful for applying etching acid gel to a restoration and thereafter rinsing the restoration.
The present invention provides a useful device for treating and rinsing articles. The device includes a base component having a fluid drain, a tray or platform component for supporting an article to be treated and rinsed, and a shield component for containing over-spray during rinsing. The tray component includes one or more drain holes, or can be foraminous or otherwise perforated for rapid draining.
The tray component can be a separate component which is snap-fit to the base component and/or to the shield component, or can be formed with, or attached to, or held within the base component or the shield component.
The shield component is preferably cylindrical or frustoconical, tapered upwardly. The shield component allows a stream of rinsing agent, such as water, to be directed downwardly against the article held on the tray without causing splashing or over-spray outside of the device. Particularly, in the frustoconical embodiment, the angled wall redirects downwardly spray which is deflected upwardly off the tray or article. Additionally, the generally small top opening of the frustoconical shield component helps to set up a venturi effect at the small top opening. This tends to draw air into the shield component through the small top opening, which provides a further impediment to over spray exiting the shield component out of the small top opening.
The device is particularly useful for treating and rinsing acid etched dental restorations. In that regard, a method is set forth which is particularly effective. In the dental office, the patient""s tooth is modeled or mapped by infrared light and then a porcelain restoration is milled from a block of porcelain using the model or map, particularly by using a CAD/CAM driven milling machine. After the restoration is milled the practitioner then places it on the tray component within the shield component. The base component is connected to a draining source, preferably a source of drainage suction. The practitioner then applies the etching gel to the crown within the shield component. After a preselected time period, the practitioner then directs a water stream into the shield and against the restoration to rinse the acid etching material off of the restoration. The restoration can be lightly jostled or moved with an instrument to allow complete treatment and rinsing of all surfaces of the restoration within the shield.
In addition to the above-recited method useful in dentistry, the device of the present invention could be useful for any method that incorporated a treating and/or rinsing of a small article in a confined environment to prevent over spray and spillage.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.